Saskatchewan’s Premier said the formula needs to be re-negotiated, as it stands now, they’re paying too much at the expense of the province’s economy.

“We’re challenged in getting our energy products to market, we have a pipeline that’s been approved and needs to be built,” he said. “The result is an oil differential close to $20/barrel here in the province of Saskatchewan, costing our economy $2.6 billion.”

Moe said he doesn’t want to stop the payments, but Saskatchewan can’t keep spending an exorbitant amount.

“We want to have this discussion before we are a have not province,” he said. “I think $580 million this past year through the equalization formula to the wealth of this nation. We want to continue to be able to do that, but in light of not being able to grow our economy, we need to have that discussion at the fore front.”

Part of the reason for the struggling economy, Moe said, has been issues with oil and pipelines, most notably the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline project.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Calgary Tuesday and said he’s confident the pipeline will be built and is looking at options to do so.

While Moe is happy to hear that, he made it clear he wants action taken.

“We don’t see construction starting on this pipeline,” he said. “We see a deadline that’s been laid in the sand by the proponent of the pipeline, the proponent that has went through all of the regulatory approvals, has those in place. Construction should begin and the federal government should move with some action very quickly in the way of restricting infrastructure funding to the province of British Columbia.”

For his part, NDP leader Ryan Meili agreed on both counts.

Not only does his party welcome an open discussion on re-negotiating equalization payments and the financial advantages and disadvantages of them, he says the federal government needs to take charge on the pipeline issue stat.

“I’d really like to see a clear indication of what steps they’re taking and I’d like to see the BC government say ‘yes, we’ll accept the NEB has made this ruling and go ahead.'”